When the Bough Breaks: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 1

Dr. Morton Handler practiced a strange brand of psychiatry. Among his specialties were fraud, extortion, and sexual manipulation. Handler paid for his sins when he was brutally murdered in his luxurious Pacific Palisades apartment. The police have no leads, but they do have one possible witness: seven-year-old Melody Quinn.

3 ½ stars. Slightly above average.

Ok as a mystery. The beginning was very good. I liked the way Alex investigated. Example, Alex needs to talk to a 7 year old girl who saw something..Show More ». The girl’s mother is ignorant and poor and keeps the daughter on drugs to keep her quiet. Alex talks to the girl’s Doctor who prescribes the drugs. The Doctor won’t stop the drugs, he has a huge ego, he talks down to Alex. Alex befriends the girl. They go to the beach and a merry-go-round. There’s a whole mini story going on about the girl that is engaging and very interesting. It’s not just Alex going to the girl, asking questions and then leaving.

Alex talks to many people during the book, which are like mini stories, but the reader doesn’t get any good clues until the end when there is a tell-all. One bad guy is caught and reveals all the details. That was ok, but it’s not my preferred type of mystery.

In later sections of the book, my mind occasionally wandered, but not too bad.

The subject matter of raping children may bother some readers, but no details are shown.

I liked the narrator Alexander Adams. He does women nicely without sounding effeminate.

Blood Test: Alex Delaware, Book 2

It is a case unlike any psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware has ever encountered. Five-year-old Woody Swope is ill, but the real problem is his parents. They refuse to agree to the one treatment that could save this boy's life. Alex sets out to convince Mr. and Mrs. Swope - only to find that the parents have left the hospital and taken their son with them. Worse, the sleazy motel room where the Swopes were staying is empty - except for the ominous bloodstain. The Swopes and their son have vanished into the sordid shadows of the city.

Too choppy - made me think it was abridged.

Absolutely. This was only my second JK book. I started with When the Bough Breaks and plan on listening to the entire series. I really enjoy Adams' na..Show More »rrations.

Over the Edge

When the phone rings in the middle of the night, child psychologist Alex Delaware does not hesitate. Driving through the dream-lit San Fernando Valley, Alex rushes to Jamey Cadmus, the patient he had failed five years before - and who now calls with a bizarre cry for help. But by the time Alex reaches Canyon Oaks Psychiatric Hospital, Jamey is gone, surfacing a day later in the hands of the police, who believe Jamey is the infamous Lavender Slasher, a psychotic serial killer. Wooed by a high-powered attorney to build a defense, Alex will get a chance to do what he couldn't five years ago.

Like a psych textbook

No need to go over the story. Suffice it to say, it's Kellerman's early work, filled with simple sentences and ridiculous scenarios. The unlikely acti..Show More »ons of a variety of professionals are maddening. Story has potential, and then at the end FINALLY, the explanation is too complicated. Characters are rough-hewn, except for Alex. He's perfectly rendered. Milo is still a background character and the gay card is waved about like a flag -- to denote political correctness? Because it adds only a smidgen to the story. Robin has some interesting appearances, and Alex (Kellerman's alter ego) is right there with the romance everybody dreams of -- though a bit over the top for an infraction of minor proportions. Alex knows boating and furnishings, gourmet and fashion. Alex knows psych, and what he does not know, he gets from other "experts," in this story, the experts are little geniuses.

The reader/narrator is a little stiff, but that's not the problem with him. It's his pronunciation: co-op is pronounced coop (chicken coop) cadge (twice pronounced cadged -- like tagged); other badly "read" words the narrator obviously did not know. Very distracting.

Two stars and nearly unreadable except that having read the series from end to beginning, I had something to look forward to, which never materialized. No engagement -- but long lectures on science, anatomy, South American Indians, psychotropic drugs, high finance and land development, blah, blah, blah... the story was so small, it could have been an anecdote. We have gays and gay haters, racism, sexism, rogue professionals, bikers, investigators, good cops, bad cops, astounding wealth, single moms and dirty dealings all around. And yet, there was no story, like a child's Christmas tree upon which are placed his favorite things, great and small, for the child to gaze upon and be impressed.

Silent Partner: An Alex Delaware Novel

Sharon Ransom is the most beautiful woman in the room; she’s also the most troubled. So when former lover psychologist Alex Delaware bumps into her at a lavish LA cocktail party, though still attracted to her, fear of reviving unhappy memories prevents him from offering the help she seems so desperate for. Hours later, Sharon’s body is discovered with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Tortured by guilt, Alex wants answers.

Too much detail

I usually love a book that is detailed but this one missed the mark by going into details that were not relevant to the story. The book was a physo an..Show More »alysis overload for me. I did not even finish the last hour because it drove me mad.

Silent Partner

At a party for a controversial Los Angeles sex therapist, Alex encounters a face from his own past: Sharon Ransom, an exquisite, alluring lover who left him abruptly more than a decade earlier. Sharon now hints that she desperately needs help, but Alex evades her. The next day she is dead, an apparent suicide. Driven by guilt and sadness, Alex plunges into the maze of Sharon's life - a journey that will take him through the pleasure palaces of California's ultra-rich, into the dark closets of a family's disturbing past.

Time Bomb

A sniper opens fire on a crowded Californian schoolyard but is killed before any children are harmed. When the sniper’s identity is revealed, a media frenzy erupts – why would they want to take innocent lives? Psychologist Alex Delaware is brought in to help the kids cope with the ordeal but is quickly drawn into exploring the motives of the would-be assassin. Alex soon finds himself on a bloody and twisted trail into the world of political extremism from which there may be no way back…

Narration puts a stop to listening

This review concerns only the narration. This may be a great book, but I simply cannot get past the narrator's technique. I really tried. I was just a..Show More » little nervous at first with the narration (every sentence has the same stress: (da-da-da-da DA), but I thought I could get used to it for the sake of the story.Then, less than 2 minutes into the recording comes the voice of 'Milo.' A parody of 'hard-bitten cop.' Almost unbearably unconvincing. Okay, well, maybe he won't be a main character. Then comes the principal, Linda Overstreet, Ed.D. OMG! It was fascinating to try to figure out what kind of audio manipulation created this voice. and what, exactly, was supposed to be conveyed by her absurd breathlessness (sexy? overmedicated? just weird?). I knew there would be children's voices coming up, so I masochistically listened on and, yep, distractingly bad.It's hard to do voices. Really hard. But not impossible. Sorry this book wasn't matched up with a more skilled reader.

Time Bomb: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 5

Edgar Award winner Jonathan Kellerman once more explores the corruption of California's golden coast and produces a novel of complex characterizations and nonstop suspense. By the time psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware reached the school the damage was done: A sniper had opened fire on a crowded playground, but was gunned down before any children were hurt. While the TV news crews feasted on the scene and Alex began his therapy sessions with the traumatized children, he couldn't escape the image of a slight teenager clutching an oversized rifle.

another great book

I am really starting to get into this series. it's good and has my attention so I want to see where these characters go.

Reviewed on October 14 2015
by Francine
(Broomfield, COLORADO, United States)

Private Eyes: Alex Delaware, Book 6

The voice belongs to a woman, but Dr. Alex Delaware remembers a little girl. It is 11 years since seven-year-old Melissa Dickinson dialed a hospital help line for comfort - and found it in therapy with Alex Delaware. Now the lovely young heiress is desperately calling for the psychologist's help once more. Only this time it looks like Melissa's deepest childhood nightmare is really coming true....

Not your average Delaware novel

I suppose Kellerman was still learning what readers wanted at the time he was writing this one. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the typical murder, cop ba..Show More »nter, and casting out wild suppositions between Milo and Alex. Normally, the victims aren't very fleshed-out and even though they get a pretty good understanding of them, they don't always understand the victim's psyche. That was a nice addition to this book, really getting to know the characters. Normally, I can tell from early which direction the book is going, but not with this one. I knew a few things, but there were plenty of twists and surprises.

This was the second I've listened to with this narrator, and while I've gotten used to Alexander Adams, he's still not my favorite. The way he pronounces certain words irritates me. Like putting a long I sound in "short-lived," it just didn't sit right with me. I could have chosen to go with the other Audible version of this book, but it was abridged, and I didn't want to sacrifice parts of the story just because of the narration.

Devil's Waltz: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 7

Twenty-one-month-old Cassie Jones is bright, energetic, the picture of health. Yet her parents rush her to the emergency room night after night with medical symptoms no doctor can explain. Cassie's parents seem sympathetic and deeply concerned. Her favorite nurse is a model of devotion. Yet when child psychologist Alex Delaware is called in to investigate, instinct tells him that one of them may be a monster.

reader

I much prefer Rubenstein as the reader of the Deleward books. Don't enjoy this reader nearly as much which makes a big difference in the enjoyment of..Show More » the book.

Bad Love

It came in a plain brown wrapper, no return address: an audiocassette of a soul-lacerating scream, followed by an enigmatic, haunting message delivered in a childlike voice: "Bad love. Bad love. Don't give me the bad love." For psychologist-detective Dr. Alex Delaware, the chant, repeated over and over like a twisted nursery rhyme, is the first intimation that he is about to enter a living nightmare. If Alex fails to decipher the twisted logic of the stalker's mind games, he will be the next to die.

Boring

This was unnecessarily graphic in inappropriate places. It lacked excitement and was (except for the dog), a boring, drawn out, uneventful waste of t..Show More »ime. The voice of the reader did not add much to the story. This was not a tale, but a passing acknowledgement of something that took place that could have been summed up in 1 sentence. I listened to the end, but the story never redeemed itself in my estimation.

Self-Defense: An Alex Delaware Novel

A new patient, 24-year-old Lucy Lowell, has come to the semi-retired psychologist Alex Delaware, straight from the jury of a serial killer's grisly trial. The trial was harrowing enough, but now it's triggered a recurring and haunting dream in which Lucy, as a little girl, watches a gang of men bury a young woman's body in the woods.

One of Better Books in Delaware/Sturgis Series

One of Kellerman's better books in his Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series (Book 9 out of 22 to date). The narrator of this audiobook version, A..Show More »lexander Adams, is very good. The plot has many twists and turns, as well as a largely interesting cast of dysfunctional characters. Milo Sturgis is further fleshed out through his friendship with Lucy Lowell. He befriends Lucy after she serves as a juror for the trial of a vicious murderer. The trial causes Lucy to develop nightmares. These turn out to be repressed 21-year old memories of the burial of a young woman which she witnessed at age 4. Milo, of course, refers Lucy to his psychologist friend Alex Delaware. Delaware does more detective work than psychotherapy, inevitably nearly getting himself and his patient killed, but for Milo. Nonetheless, Delaware does unravel the mystery to a satisfying conclusion. Kellerman's use of hypnosis on Lucy is a weak point, but keeping Delaware's stick figure girlfriend, Robin, in the background a plus. She rarely adds anything to this series. Kellerman fans of the Delaware series should enjoy this book and also other fans of this genre.

The Web: Alex Delaware, Book 10

Dr. Woodrow Moreland, a respected scientist, has invited Alex Delaware, psychologist/detective, to his home on a tiny Pacific island to help him organize his papers for publication. It's a light workload, leaving plenty of time for Alex and his girlfriend, Robin, to relax. But Alex can't help wondering why Dr. Moreland really invited him to the island. When he probes, he discovers a sour and unwelcome truth, and its discovery comes just in time to save Alex and Robin from the violence that threatens them.

Always a Good Story

Who does not like Alex Delaware ? Jonathan Kellerman always delivers a great story!

The Clinic: An Alex Delaware Novel

For three months, the police find no clues in the stabbing death of Hope Devane, the author of a pop-psychology best-seller. So they turn to Dr. Alex Delaware to study the case for insights that might point to a killer. As Alex unlocks the private compartments of Hope's life, the murder looks calculated and vengeful. A study of her childhood reveals that she kept secrets from everyone. It also helps Alex set a trap for the killer.

Fair

I found the book fair reading, yet perdictable. I felt it was extremly slow at points but rushed thrgh the climax at the end.

Reviewed on November 14 2010
by cheri
(kansas city, MO, United States)

Survival of the Fittest: An Alex Delaware Novel

Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware confronts a killer who takes as much pleasure in matching wits with the police as in robbing human life. A diplomat's retarded daughter is murdered on a school field trip. The girl's father denies the possibility of a political motive, leaving LAPD detective Milo Sturgis and his longtime friend, Alex Delaware, stymied. When another killing occurs, Alex finds himself ensnared in one of the most menacing cases of his career.

Survival of the fittest

This is only my third Kellerman book and have found them well written. I remember reading about these purity theories in school and about the sterili..Show More »zation of the mentally ill and retarded in the 1930's. This made for an interesting story with some nail biting moments. Looking forward to some more by Kellerman.

Monster: An Alex Delaware Novel

Alex Delaware is back! And in Jonathan Kellerman's riveting and ingenious new novel, Monster, he faces one of the most grisly and baffling mysteries of his career: How can a nonfunctional psychotic locked up in a supposedly secure institution for homicidal madmen predict brutal murders in the outside world? Delaware and his friend and partner Detective Milo Sturgis must penetrate this enigma in order to stop the horrific killings.

not a new release

This book was actually available in audio back in the late 1990's - like 1998. If you are use to the new reading and style of an Alex Delaware read, ..Show More »don't purchase. It's a terrible version.

Dr. Death: Alex Delaware, Book 14

Someone has murdered euthanasia champion Dr. Eldon Mate - a self-styled Dr. Death responsible for scores of assisted suicides. In a burst of bloody irony, the killer chooses to dispatch the doctor in the back of Mate's own suicide van, hooking him up to the killing apparatus dubbed "the Humanitron" - and adding some butchering touches of his own. The case is assigned to veteran LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis, who turns once again to his friend Dr. Alex Delaware.

One of the best

Really. The story is great, plot really fresh,J.R. Has the voice of an angel. Truly a winning combination!

Flesh and Blood: Alex Delaware, Book 15

Perennial and acknowledged master of the psychological thriller Jonathan Kellerman has created a riveting and memorable Alex Delaware novel about a troubled and elusive young woman whose brutal murder forces the brilliant psychologist-detective to confront his own fallibility.

Love this series

I'd probably listen to Rubenstein portraying Alex reading the phone book to Milo and Robin so any in-depth review I could provide would be biased in ..Show More »the extreme.

As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed inhabiting their world though it was disconcerting because the events take place long before Breakdown, the most recent book in the series. And, I just discovered Book #14 is also newly released (same date - Audible, you should have forewarned) so I'll happily suspend my knowledge of their future selves to join them on that adventure as well.

The Murder Book

In 17 consecutive best selling novels, Jonathan Kellerman has proven himself the master of the psychological thriller. Now, in Kellerman's most compelling novel yet, L.A. psychologist-detective Alex Delaware confronts a long-unsolved murder of unspeakable brutality - an ice-cold case whose resolution threatens his survival and that of longtime friend, homicide detective Milo Sturgis.

I liked it

Granted, I am an Alex Delaware fan. I like Kellerman's earlier works better as he stayed in the area of child psychology, which is his forte. I did ..Show More »enjoy the murder book on audible. I made two attempts at reading it and did not succeed, however, as a listen, it was worth the time. As usual, Kellerman's characters were interesting and the story, while not his best, was engaging.

A Cold Heart

Alex Delaware is summoned to a trendy gallery where a promising young artist has been brutally garroted on the night of her first major showing. There is no obvious motive, and the careful staging of the murder scene immediately suggests to Alex not an impulsive crime of passion, but the meticulous and taunting modus operandi of a serial killer. As more killings are discovered, unraveling the puzzle assumes a new importance - stopping a vicious psychopath who's made cold-blooded murder his chosen art form.

A Cold Heart

I really liked the book, and especially liked the reader...I enjoyed all the different voices used in the reading. It makes it so much easier to follo..Show More »w than just the same voice all the way through. This is a typical Kellerman book with mystery, suspence, sex, Southern California and ethnic dining. Not as much Milo as in some of the past books, but still a good yarn, and a great listen. Petra is an interesting charcter, but not sure I like Allison..

Therapy

"Been a while since I had me a nice little whodunit," homicide detective Milo Sturgis tells Alex Delaware. But there's definitely nothing nice about the brutal tableau behind the yellow crime-scene tape. On a lonely lover's lane in the hills of Los Angeles, a young couple lies murdered in a car. Each bears a single gunshot wound to the head.

Fun Listening

It had been awhile since I'd had a good Kellerman book to enjoy. I started this on audio...got so hooked that I bought the $25 hardcover to read on a ..Show More »plane...then went back to audio when I got home.

Rage

In a host of consecutive best sellers, Jonathan Kellerman has kept readers spellbound with the intense, psychologically acute adventures of Dr. Alex Delaware. Rage offers a powerful new case in point, as Delaware and LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis revisit a horrifying crime from the past that has taken on shocking and deadly new dimensions.

Top notch Delaware thriller!

I've been so disappointed by the last few Kellerman novels that I took a break and skipped the last couple to come out. I may have to go back now and ..Show More »catch myself up, because "Rage" is an excellent example of what Dr Kellerman is capable. I pity anyone that falls for the abridged version, because the twists and turns in this multi-level story are tight and sharp, and it requires a good bit of attention paid. Special kudos to **wonderful** reader John Rubenstein who nails the perfect delivery and characterization to every part of this story.

Gone

It's a story tailor-made for the nightly news: Dylan Meserve and Michaela Brand, young lovers and fellow acting students, vanish on the way home from a rehearsal. Three days later, the two of them are found in the remote mountains of Malibu, battered and terrified after a harrowing ordeal at the hands of a sadistic abductor.

Good but not great...

My 3-star rating for this novel is in comparison to Kellerman's other Alex Delaware novels. The previous one to "Gone", ("Rage") was an outstanding th..Show More »riller and as good as anything Kellerman has ever written. This one is okay. It moves Delaware's personal life forward a little bit, and gives him a little lovin' when he needs it. Milo is as ornery and unkempt as ever, and seems to have made peace with the LAPD, which suits the current political climate. The crimes and criminals are ultra-bizarre, and Alex just doesn't have the stomach for it anymore. This mystery will keep you guessing whodunit up until pretty late in the book, but after the case is solved I just kept wondering why the book didn't end! There are no loose ends here, but if you turn the book off an hour or so before it closes, you ain't gonna miss much.

Gone

Dylan Meserve and Michaela Brand, young lovers and fellow acting students, vanish on the way home from a rehearsal. Three days later, they are found in the remote mountains of Malibu, battered and terrified. They've had a harrowing ordeal: held at gunpoint by a sadistic abductor who subjected them to a horrific regime of confinement, starvation, and assault. But doubts arise about their story and, as forensic details unfold, the abduction is exposed as a hoax.

Obsession: An Alex Delaware Novel

Tanya Bigelow was a solemn little girl when Dr. Alex Delaware successfully treated her obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Now, at 19, Patty Bigelow, Tanya's aunt and adoptive mother, has made a deathbed confession of murder and urged the young woman to seek Delaware's help.

It's a Sad Day When...

Well, it's a sad day when Jonathan Kellerman disappoints, but that day has arrived. When I saw that there was a new Alex Delaware novel out, I felt th..Show More »at warm feeling of pleasure you get when you just know you're soon going to be settling down with a really good book. After "The Murder Book" and "Gone", both two of Kellerman's best, I could hardly wait.

To say that the book "takes off slowly" would be similar to saying, "in January, molasses is slow". I listened to the entire first half before even a hint of a plot began to emerge. I have never had a problem finding Kellerman's characters fascinating, but in this book the female protagonist (which ever one you pick for that role) was a forgettable person. I barely remembered her name. Even the ending, which (kind of) pulls things together and does pick up, was certainly not enough. Sadly, I cannot recommend this book.

Obsession

At 40, Patty Bigelow thought she'd finally figured life out. Then her wayward sister Leila abandons her child, Tanya, on Patty's doorstep. The aunt and troubled niece slowly learn to live together, with the help of Dr Alex Delaware's counseling. Now, 15 years later, Tanya is back in Alex's office. Patty has died and left Tanya with a chilling legacy: a deathbed confession that her aunt murdered a man years earlier.

Compulsion: An Alex Delaware Novel

A tipsy young woman seeking aid on a desolate highway disappears into the inky black night. A retired schoolteacher is stabbed to death in broad daylight. Two women are butchered after closing time in a small-town beauty parlor. The ultimate whodunits, these crimes demand the attention of LAPD detective Milo Sturgis and his collaborator on the crime beat, psychologist Alex Delaware.

Got a Little Lost...

I really enjoy Kellerman books, be it Jonathan or his wife Faye. The narrator of this book was excellent, but somewhere along about the middle of the..Show More » book, I got LOST and sort of limped along to the end. But I still recommend it as a good listen - maybe I was just distracted?

Compulsion

A young woman who disappeared into the black night; a retired school teacher stabbed to death in broad daylight and two women butchered in a beauty parlour. Three murder cases, linked only by a perplexing lack of motive. But then LAPD detective Milo Sturgis and psychologist Alex Delaware are called to the scene of a bizarre "crime". A stolen car has been anonymously returned to its owner, undamaged and unblemished - except for a tiny, solitary bloodstain.

Bones: An Alex Delaware Novel

The anonymous caller has an ominous tone and an unnerving message about something "real dead . . . buried in your marsh." The eco-volunteer on the other end of the phone thinks it's a prank, but when a young woman's body turns up in L.A.'s Bird Marsh preserve no one's laughing. And when the bones of more victims surface, homicide detective Milo Sturgis realizes the city's under siege to an insidious killer. Milo's first move: calling in psychologist Alex Delaware.

Deja Vue

In this novel, Mr. Kellerman reworks the plot of one of his most recent novels. The original is better.

Mr. Kellerman is a favorite wr..Show More »iter of mine. There is little he's written that I haven't read, so I don't make these statements lightly. What has happened to our best mystery/thriller writers?

Bones

A woman's body is found in marshland outside LA. By the next morning the police have discovered the decaying corpses of three more women. They were all prostitutes except for the most recent victim; a classically trained pianist employed by a wealthy family, Selena Bass seems out of place in the grim tableau. Psychologist Alex Delaware is drafted in by homicide detective Milo Sturgis to help with the case. Details of the crimes suggest a serial killer is prowling LA's gritty streets.

Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel

In the half-built skeleton of a monstrously vulgar mansion in one of L.A.'s toniest neighborhoods, a watchman stumbles on the bodies of a young couple - murdered in flagrante and left in a gruesome postmortem embrace. Though he's cracked some of the city's worst slayings, veteran homicide cop Milo Sturgis is still shocked at the grisly sight: a twisted crime that only Milo's killer instincts - and psychologist Alex Delaware's keen insights - can hope to solve.

Revenge

Number 24 in the Alex Delaware/ Milo Sturgis series this audio focuses on two different stories of revenge and the collateral damage that occurs when ..Show More »hate spills over. Included is the push/pull dynamic of local and federal law enforcement, Islamic extremism, and Swiss banking. Having just completed Time Bomb and Private Eyes two of the earlier works in the series I'm struck by the change that has occurred in the series. In the earlier books the fact that Alex used to be a psychologist is ever present, his approach to problems and his way of relating to people comes from a therapeutic point of view. In this work that approach is only present when Milo or some other "civilian" asks for his professional expertise. There is also more emphasis placed on the interviews/ interrogations done by the police; Milo's in particular. The manner in which the perps are led into into verbal corners is instructing and almost fascinating. Though this isn't one of the best books in the series, it's quite good and an easy recommendation to make.

Evidence

Early one morning a foreman shows up at the building site of a mega-mansion. Proceeding up unfinished plank steps, he arrives at the master bedroom. There, lying on a blanket, are a man and a woman, stabbed and bludgeoned to death. Who are the lovers? Why have they chosen a construction site for their late-night tryst? Is the double murder simply a horrific example of wrong-place, wrong-time? Or were the victims stalked? And will the outrage be repeated?

Deception: An Alex Delaware Novel

Her name is Elise Freeman, and her chilling cry for help to whoever may be listening comes too late to save her. On a DVD found near her lifeless body, the emotionally and physically battered woman chronicles a year-and-a-half-long ordeal of monstrous abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking than the lurid details is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at one of L.A.s most prestigious prep schools.

Really disappointed

I really like the series but this one was very predictable and I wish I never would have downloaded it.

Deception

Her name is Elise Freeman, and her chilling cry for help - to whoever may be listening - comes too late to save her. On a DVD found near her lifeless body, the emotionally and physically battered woman chronicles a year-and-a-half-long ordeal of monstrous abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking than the lurid details is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at one of LA's most prestigious prep schools.

Mystery: An Alex Delaware Novel

Few know the city of Los Angeles the way #1 best-selling author and acclaimed suspense master Jonathan Kellerman does. His thrilling novels of psychological drama and criminal detection make the capital of dreams a living, breathing character in all its glamour and infamy. That storied history of fame, seduction, scandal, and murder looms large in Mystery, as Alex Delaware finds himself drawn into a twisting, shadowy whodunit that’s pure L.A. noir—and vintage Kellerman.

As one narrator to another

Having been a narrator of text books and novels for Vision Australia for blind clients for 35 years but an avid reader myself, I have never chosen to ..Show More »listen to audio books. One of my sons taught me to use my new iphone and downloaded "Mystery" by Jonathan Kellerman, so at the age of 79, I'm hooked. Mr Rubinstein's rendition made me want for more. His minimal but effective changes in characters' voices were remarkable and I dips me lid to him. He made me stay glued until the finish. I have downloaded Caleb's Crossing and looking for more.

Mystery

An ingenious, intriguing and breathtakingly good novel from the world's number one psychological thriller writer. In a glamorous area of Los Angeles, the Beverley Fauborg hotel is about to close for good. Psychologist Alex Delaware and his girlfriend Robin are making a farewell visit to the hotel bar when one patron in particular grabs their attention - a beautiful but aloof young woman dressed all in white.

Excellent book

Jonathan kellerman at his best, and well read. A worthwhile addition to any library, and one you may read again

Victims: An Alex Delaware Novel

Unraveling the madness behind L.A.’s most baffling and brutal homicides is what sleuthing psychologist Alex Delaware does best. And putting the good doctor through his thrilling paces is what mystery fiction’s #1 bestselling master of psychological suspense Jonathan Kellerman does with incomparable brilliance. Kellerman’s universally acclaimed novels blend the addictive rhythms of the classic police procedural with chilling glimpses into the darkest depths of the human condition. For the compelling proof, look no further than Victims....

Good and Thin

If this were an middle-aged person and someone described them as 'good and thin' it might be seen as a compliment. But not in this case. Long time f..Show More »an of Kellerman and having read all his books, I feel this time he sort of went through the motions for us and attempted to stretch a thin plot into a novel.Maybe I've read too many mysteries as I had this one figured early. I just felt like he didn't have his heart in it.

Victims: An Alex Delaware Novel

Not since Jack the Ripper has there been such a gruesome crime scene. One look at the victim's apartment turned charnel house is enough for Milo Sturgis to summon The Crime Reader. But even Alex Delaware's skills may be stymied when more slayings occur in the same ghastly fashion... with no apparent connection between them.

Another entertaining Alex Delaware mystery

Thoroughly enjoyed this audio book, I am a fan of Alex Delaware. Reader is an easy listen.

Guilt: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 28

A series of horrifying events occur in quick succession in the same upscale L.A. neighborhood. A backyard renovation unearths an infant's body, buried 60 years ago. And soon thereafter in a nearby park, another disturbingly bizarre discovery is made not far from the body of a young woman shot in the head. Helping LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis to link these eerie incidents is brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware. But even the good doctor's vast experience with matters both clinical and criminal might not be enough.

Standard Milo and Alex

If you have read the series and enjoyed it despite the formulaic story lines then there is no reason to stop now!

This outing wasn't one of ..Show More »the best, still entertaining in a cheesy way. There are very obvious parallels to a current actress that make you wonder whether Kellerman is aiming for a movie deal. The crime was bizarre in keeping with the entire series premise, but it feels like this one was a bit of a stretch.

If you have never read any of the series do not make this your first, read When the Bough Breaks it is the first in the series and justifies how you can enjoy Guilt, an eventual watered down version of Milo and Alex.

Guilt

When a young couple takes possession of their dream home, they can't wait to remodel the neglected mansion. That is until they make a gruesome discovery of a rusted metal strongbox containing two rotting leather doctor's bags. And inside each bag, swaddled in sheets of 60-year-old newspaper, lies a tiny human skeleton. The case hits the media, and theories abound. The most likely culprit is a mysterious woman, employed as private nurse to wealthy L.A. families during World War Two.

Killer: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 29

The City of Angels has more than its share of psychopaths, and no one recognizes that more acutely than the brilliant psychologist and police consultant Dr. Alex Delaware. Despite that, Constance Sykes, a sophisticated, successful physician, hardly seems like someone Alex needs to fear. Then, at the behest of the court, he becomes embroiled in a bizarre child custody dispute initiated by Connie against her sister and begins to realize that there is much about the siblings he has failed to comprehend.

Probably Weakest Yet in the Series

As always John Rubinstein did a great job as the voice of Alex Delaware. Unfortunately he didn't have too much to work with here. Kellerman seemed to ..Show More »have have pretty much phoned this one in. A great deal of extraneous detail that failed to move the story ahead; If you're a fan of the series it's worth a credit; if not choose another book in the series. I have a hard time seeing anyone who starts with this one becoming much of fan.

Killer

In this thrilling new blockbuster from number-one best seller Jonathan Kellerman, psychologist sleuth Alex Delaware becomes the target of a vengeful killer while a baby goes missing. Well used to elevated emotions, psychologist Alex Delaware shrugs off a joking death threat from beautiful Beverly Hills physician Constance Sykes, whose attempt to secure legal custody of her baby niece is thwarted by Alex's forthright report to the court. Alex plays down the threat until LAPD's Milo Sturgis rushes to his side with the shocking word on the street that a hit's been taken out on him.

Motive: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 30

Even having hundreds of closed cases to his credit can't keep LAPD police lieutenant Milo Sturgis from agonizing over the crimes that don't get solved - and the victims who go without justice. Victims like Katherine Hennepin, a young woman strangled and stabbed in her home. A single suspect with a solid alibi leads to a dead end - one even Alex Delaware's expert insight can't explain. The only thing to do is move on to the next murder case - because there's always a next one.

Not the best, but Rubinstein reading helps

it wasn't a great Alex Delaware story and kind of just ended. If you've already got most of the series, it's not a waste, but it's not a great portray..Show More »al of Alex or Milo.

Motive

Alex Delaware returns in a thrilling new case, featuring one of the most devious murderers ever conceived by New York Times No.1 bestseller Jonathan Kellerman. Even hundreds of closed cases to his credit can't keep LAPD police lieutenant Milo Sturgis from agonising over the crimes that don't get solved - and the victims who go without justice. Victims like Katherine Hennepin, a young woman strangled and stabbed in her home.

Breakdown: An Alex Delaware Novel

Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware meets beautiful and emotionally fragile TV actress Zelda Chase when called upon to evaluate her five-year-old son, Ovid. Years later, Alex is unexpectedly reunited with Zelda when she is involuntarily committed after a bizarre psychotic episode. Shortly after Zelda's release, an already sad situation turns tragic when she is discovered dead on the grounds of a palatial Bel Air estate.

As expected from JK

It was good, very good, but Milo enters too late and all the intricacies of the generations of people related to the "victim" was bothersome;..Show More » could have been cut back by an hour or two. I love long books, but expect story on every page, not background and guessing. A little tiresome until 1/2 way point. Milo's personality is getting very predictable. Too little humor, not enough mention of Rick. I feel there is a lot of assumption that we all know all the characters and remember them perfectly. Some updates are needed all the way around.

But, I am a J Kellerman groupie and I'll follow this pair until the end.

Breakdown

Psychologist sleuth Alex Delaware has experienced more than enough of LA's dark side to recognise the scent of evil.... Criminal psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware is pushed to his limit like never before in Breakdown by New York Times number-one best seller Jonathan Kellerman. Fans of Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben will love this sabre-sharp storytelling from the master of psychological suspense.

Breakdown

Enjoyed this book, but didn't find the story as captivating and suspenseful as the previous books. Still one of my favourite writers and looking forwa..Show More »rd to my next book.

Heartbreak Hotel: An Alex Delaware Novel, Book 32

At nearly 100 years old, Thalia Mars is a far cry from the patients that child psychologist Alex Delaware normally treats. But the charming, witty woman convinces Alex to meet with her in a suite at the Aventura, a luxury hotel with a checkered history. What Thalia wants from Alex are answers to unsettling questions - about guilt, patterns of criminal behavior, victim selection. When Alex asks the reason for her morbid fascination, Thalia promises to tell all during their next session. When he shows up the following morning, he is met with silence: Thalia is dead.

Heartbreak Hotel

At nearly 100 years old, Thalia Mars is a far cry from the patients child psychologist Alex Delaware normally treats. But the charming, witty woman convinces Alex to meet with her in a suite at the Aventura, a luxury hotel with a checkered history. What Thalia wants from Alex are answers to unsettling questions about guilt, patterns of criminal behavior, victim selection. When Alex asks the reason for her morbid fascination, Thalia promises to tell all during their next session.